PBS: a Vital source of news and non-commercial entertainment

Voice your support for Sesame Street and Downton Abbey:
Petition to Congress here asking for continued support of PBS.

Thank you.

First-Ever Parent Conference at IDA

Reading, Literacy, and Learning
The 63rd Annual International Dyslexia Association Conference will take place October 24th -27th in Baltimore, MD.
http://www.interdys.org/63rdAnnualConference.htm

The Inaugural IDA Conference for Parents runs October 26th and 27th. http://www.interdys.org/2012ParentConference.htm

The link to the full program for the Parent Conference is here:
http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/ParentProgram.pdf

Groves Academy Community Workshop: The Five Strands of Reading

Free Workshop: The Five Strands of Reading

text here from Groves Academy:

Thursday, September 20

7:00 to 8:30 PM

Groves Academy 2nd Floor Conference Room

Cost: Free

Presented by John Alexander M.Ed., Groves Academy Head of School

Learning to read can be a complicated process, but thanks to over twenty years of scientific research, there is now very little debate about what skills a child needs to be a fluent reader. We know that the requisite skills to become a good reader need to be taught directly and sequentially. We know that reading is not a natural process as is the acquisition of oral language. Most children will not learn to become skilled readers just through exposure to print; they rely on expert teaching to become proficient readers. We are pleased to present a workshop on the fundamental cores of reading acquisition, the Big Five, as identified by The National Reading Panel. We recommend this workshop for parents and teachers of emerging or struggling readers.

To register, click here.

https://www.grovesacademy.org/community-workshops/parent-and-educator-workshops/the-five-strands-of-reading/

More Workshops Listed Here:

https://www.grovesacademy.org/community-workshops/parent-and-educator-workshops/

PACER Workshops in Minnesota

There are many free workshops available through PACER. Whether you are just beginning your journey with the special education process or have been involved for years, there is always something new to learn. Two examples below--Check out the link to the PACER website for the full list.

all text and information below from
http://www.pacer.org/workshops/

Thursday, September 13, 2012
IDEA: Blueprint for Special Education - see flyer 
The special education process is like building a house. There is a logical order to both. This workshop will cover how to use the building blocks of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) to develop and advocate for appropriate services for your child.
6:30pm-9pm (PACER Center - see Map) 
Register for this workshop 

Thursday, November 15, 2012
Literacy For ALL: Your Child Can Learn To Read
We believe all children can learn to read and write. If you have a struggling literacy learner or have thought that your child is too involved to address literacy skills then this workshop is for you. Participants will learn information to help their learners reach their literacy goals.
6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. (PACER Center - see Map) 
Register for this workshop

ACTION ALERT: APA considers removing dyslexia from DSM-5

On the IDA website, and in an email message from Susan Barton, there are urgent calls to action.

The American Psychiatric Association is considering eliminating the code for Dyslexia as a diagnosis from the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This could have very serious implications for those trying to get access to special education. The APA is accepting public comments until June 15th. Please send a letter or email message to the APA asking that the DSM-5 include a separate diagnostic code for dyslexia. My email message is below.

Please CLICK HERE for further information from the IDA, more ideas for your own message, and the email address. (Direct link address is also here: http://www.interdys.org/DSM5Revisions.htm#.T70X7EVfF5c .)

Sent to APA on Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Subject: Dyslexia: Three Susans Ask You to Reconsider

Dear Members of the American Psychiatric Association,

I am writing to request that the diagnosis of Dyslexia be included in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

Do you know how many more children will be unable to receive help in school if the diagnosis of dyslexia is no longer recommended by the DSM? This is moving backwards.

Dyslexia has been a researched, scientifically-proven condition for a very long time. There are interventions and accommodations that can help, but without receiving a diagnosis accepted by all, it may be very difficult to get access to that help.

There are already difficulties is obtaining an education for a child with dyslexia. For example, if one lives in a state like Minnesota, having dyslexia alone will not qualify a child for an IEP; the child must have another diagnosis, such as ADHD, in order to get help. (Clearly, a child with dyslexia needs interventions, whether or not a comorbid condition exists.) By leaving dyslexia as a diagnosis out of the DSM, it will be even more difficult for children to receive that "fair and appropriate education" to which all children are supposedly entitled.  

Here are the words of Susan Barton, who has taught many about the prevalence of dyslexia. I echo her statements and her request to restore the DSM-5 to the fall version in which Dyslexia had a diagnostic code.

"Please restore 315.00 Dyslexia. . . . 

10 states have dyslexia laws (and 5 others are working on it), many governors have declared October to be Dyslexia Awareness Month, and state departments of education are (finally) creating Dyslexia Handbooks for their schools. 

The U.S. Congress now has a Dyslexia Caucus. . . .

Other countries have diagnostic codes for dyslexia.

In DSM-5, dyslexia needs a diagnostic code of its own." 

(This material is quoted from an email message sent to APA by Susan Barton, Founder of Bright Solutions for Dyslexia. She forwarded the content of her message to others involved with dyslexia.)

Susan Lowell, Vice President of the International Dyslexia Association, writes, "Two other considerations support the position that dyslexia belongs in DSM-5," including "to align with the work of the international scientific and clinical community" as seen in the ICD-10, and "to have the DSM-5 align with federal special education law" where dyslexia has been included as a Specific Learning Disability since 1975. She writes, "DSM-5 must align with both national and international work." (Susan C. Lowell, M.A., B.C.E.T., quoted from IDA website, http://www.interdys.org/DSM5Revisions.htm#.T70X7EVfF5c  .)

I am the "third Susan" of the three mentioned in the subject line of this message. (I do not know those two experts I quoted--we just all happen to be named Susan.) As a parent of a child with dyslexia, and as a teacher, I am asking you to please, please reconsider. Please include a diagnostic code of its own for Dyslexia.

Sincerely,

Susan Snyder Austin, M.A.

High-tech, low-tech methods meet to help with learning disabilities - Education - TheState.com

Thanks to the May 15th Briefing from the Twice Exceptional Newsletter, here is a link to an article about low-tech and high-tech classroom accommodations.


High-tech, low-tech methods meet to help with learning disabilities - Education - TheState.com

HOT NEWS! Bipartisan Dyslexia Caucus formed in US Congress

UPDATE from the Northern California Branch of IDA, the home district of one of the caucus creators:  "The caucus was formalized early this year, and a letter was sent to all members of Congress inviting them to join. The caucus has no specific legislative agenda at this time, but seeks to work across party lines to educate members and the public about dyslexia and to identify policies that will support dyslexic individuals as they pursue educational and career opportunities.

Please encourage your local representative to join the Dyslexia Caucus—it’s an opportunity to let our congressmen/women know how important this issue is to millions of Americans."
Link here to full message
_________________________________________________________

Here is some very exciting news! Two members of Congress, both of whom have children with dyslexia, have formed a caucus to help raise awareness and help make important policy changes. Here is the full text of the short article from the IDA-UMB website. Please consider adding your name to those in support of the caucus by sending a note to your Congresswoman or Congressman, as suggested at the end of the IDA article.

"Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus Formed –

Urge Your Representative to Join Today!

Two prominent members of the U.S. Congress have formed the Congressional Dyslexia Caucus to raise 

awareness of dyslexia and help foster policy change for people with dyslexia. The caucus was formed just weeks ago by Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA-06) and Rep. Pete Stark (CA-13). As parents of children working to triumph over dyslexia, they are acutely aware of the many hurdles they must overcome to reach their full potential.

Please take a moment to urge the representatives from your area to join the caucus and support Reps. Cassidy and Stark in their efforts. 

Below is a sample email you can send to your representative once you find their email address here using the zip code finder at the top right, but feel free to share your personal connection to dyslexia in your email.  

TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!

1. Click Here for the US Representatives website.
2. Enter your Zip Code in the top right search box.
3. Click the envelope next to the name and photo of your representative.
4. Copy and paste the sample email below, add your personal statement and send!

---

Please Join the Bipartisan Congressional Dyslexia Caucus

Dear Congressman/Congresswoman (last name):

As a member of the International Dyslexia Association, I am writing to ask that you consider joining the Congressional Dyslexia Caucus, formed to work across party lines to educate members and the public about dyslexia.  There is much work to be done in raising awareness about dyslexia and making policy changes that create opportunity for all dyslexics and remove barriers to success.  I urge you to join Rep. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Pete Stark in this effort today.

Sincerely,

(Your name/mailing address)  "

http://www.interdys.org/CongressionalDyslexiaCaucus.htm

IDA-UMB Conference Saturday, 4/14/12

From the IDA-UMB website:

International Dyslexia Association, Upper Midwest Branch's
38th ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2012
"Parent/Educator One-day Intensive"

Saturday, April 14, 2012
Earle Brown Heritage Center
Brooklyn Center, MN

TRACK 1:
"Foster Optimal Mental Wellness in LD Kids" featuring Dr. L. Read Sulik.

"Dr. Sulik is an exceptional speaker and expert psychiatrist (with a) 10-step approach to help children achieve optimal mental health. . . ."

TRACK 2:
"Morphology Development & Advanced Decoding" featuring William VanCleave 

"In fourth or fifth grade, students are introduced to textbooks filled with longer, multisyllabic words. In early high school, the caliber and complexity of that reading increases substantially. Even with effective basic phonics instruction, readers are often unable to handle both the increased quantity of text and its complexity. With this in mind, popular presenter VanCleave picks up where basic word attack leaves off."

Please see the website for further descriptions.

Registration discounts for IDA members. (The website says TODAY, April 7th, is the last day to register, but an email I received last night said, "only a week to register," so call them and you may still be able to get in.)

Dyslexia Style Guide from the British Dyslexia Society

Take a look at what the British Dyslexia Society is requesting of the British government--that when teachers are trained, there be mandatory Dyslexia training.  From the petition: "All teachers should be trained to understand dyslexia, its impact on learning and what constitutes dyslexia friendly practice. Teachers should be aware of when to signpost learners for assessment and when to provide appropriate intervention."
Here is the link: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/20674
-via the Dyslexia Foundation, tweeted by @DyslexiaFound, April 4, 2012

Here is a link to a Dyslexia Style Guide from the British Dyslexia Society.
It includes information like this:
Do use paper thick enough that the text doesn't show through.
Do use fonts like Verdana, Arial, and Tahoma.
Don't use underlining or italics for headings or emphasis.
Do use bold instead.
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/further-information/dyslexia-style-guide.html

IEP Advice: a PACER Workshop

Thursday, April 26, 2012
What I Could Have Said: Parents Share Communication Tips - see flyer 
A panel of parents of children with disabilities will share communication insights gained through years of experience at IEP meetings. Participants will receive the top ten tips for parent/professional communication.
7:00pm-9:00pm (PACER Center - see Map)
Register for this workshop

Click Here for the Flyer

from PACER, at  http://www.pacer.org/workshops/

Reading Technology Workshop on Saturday, March 3

Reading Technology Workshop on Saturday, March 3rd

From the International Dyslexia Association, Upper Midwest Branch Website:

IDA-UMB Workshop -- Reading Technology

Saturday, March 3, 2012
8:30 am. -- 1 p.m.
Groves Academy, 3200 Highway 100 South, St. Louis Park, MN 55416
Registration fee: $50 (per family, maxiumum two people per family); IDA Members receive a discount
No walk-in registrations accepted; CEU's offered!
To register, CLICK HERE

This workshop addresses how to use current technology tools to support reading and will provide hands-on experience in the following:

• Definition of Alternative Print and acquiring it for class reading content;
• How to use Learning Ally and BookShare in the classroom and at home;
• How to search and download a book from Learning Ally to include: listening on a computer, listening to a portable android device/MP3, listening to an iOS devices (iPad/iPhone/iTouch);
• How to search and download a book from BookShare using Kurzweil, ROL, an iOS device and Read & Write Gold

Attendees must bring laptops with wireless. MP3 Player, iTouch, iPad or iPhone desired but optional. Please have iTunes loaded with an active membership (if using Apple products, Learning Ally (formally RFBD) and BookShare with user id's and passwords created ahead of time. Instructions will be mailed prior to class.

Presenters: Erika Kluge Framke is the director of THINK with Success and is an assistive technology specialist and special educator. She works with students in grades 2 through college to enhance their academic success through the use of Assistive Technology in the areas of reading, writing, note-taking and executive funtion. Cindee McCarthy is the current president of the board of the International Dyslexia Association, Upper Midwest Branch.

Link to IDA-UMB site by clicking on workshop title above or here: http://www.ida-umb.org/pages/calendar/detail.cfm?EventID=135

2e Newsletter Briefing

2e Newsletter, a subscription service, has a special, free issue out today, Feb. 15, 2012.
Click here for access
Articles include the recent, brief article, The Upside of Dyslexia in New York Times and links to reactions to the article. Several other interesting articles, too.

Links of Interest: iPad apps, In-class Strategies

Links of Interest: Two from Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities

1) There’s an App for Your Child with LD

by Shelley Lacey-Castelot, ATACP, M.S.

http://www.smartkidswithld.org/news/ipad-apps-for-kids-with-ld

2) Strategies to Help Students with LD in Science Classes Click this link to a short article in the Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Blog article. It contains some very concrete suggestions.

2012 Youth Achievement Award « Smart Kids With LD

From the Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities website:

2012 Youth Achievement Award

We’re pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the ninth annual Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Youth Achievement Award. This $1,000 award recognizes the strengths and accomplishments of young people with learning disabilities and ADHD. It will be given to a student 19 or younger for demonstrating initiative, talent and determination resulting in a notable accomplishment in any field—including art, music, science, math, athletics or community service. Honorable Mentions will also be awarded.

The award will be presented at the organization’s annual benefit on the evening of Friday, June 8, 2012 at the Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk, Connecticut. Transportation and hotel accommodations will be provided for the winning student and his/her parents.

Please download and return the application form, with supporting documentation, by February 28, 2012.

Download – 2012 Youth Achievement Award application form.

2012 Youth Achievement Award « Smart Kids With LD

Links of Interest: NYT "The Upside of Dyslexia"

Links of Interest
From the New York Times:

OPINION

The Upside of Dyslexia

By ANNIE MURPHY PAUL

Published: February 4, 2012

Permalink here (and here http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/opinion/sunday/the-upside-of-dyslexia.html )

Socio-Emotional Needs Presentation in Saint Paul

from the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented website on Feb. 5, 2012:

St. Paul Chapter of MCGT (GRASP) 

February 2012 Event

Socio-Emotional Characteristics and Needs of Gifted Children

DESCRIPTION: Healthy socio-emotional development is critical to successful
functioning in life yet is often omitted from discussions on cognitive development.  Presented in a lively, humorous format, this talk will teach you the subtle (and not so!)  nuances gifted children present in their socio-emotional development and you’ll take  away skills to enhance your child’s functioning in this key area of development.

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012; 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Saint Paul Public Schools District Office
Board Room, 360 Colborne St., Saint Paul, MN 55102
REGISTRATION: RSVP online: https://sites.google.com/site/graspmn/events
• Sorry, no child care available
• Open to the public, $5 donation for non-GRASP members;  memberships available at
http://mcgt.net/mcgt-membership/membership-form

LINK HERE for more information, including a bit about the presenter, Wendi M. Schirvar, Ph.D.


Book Sale Monday, Feb. 6th
From the Hennepin County Library website:
St. Anthony Library 
Monday, Feb. 6, noon–7 p.m. 
Bargain hunters and book lovers take note: the Friends of the Library will hold a sale of hundreds of adult and children's fiction and nonfiction books in hardcover and paperback. Most books, withdrawn from the Hennepin County Library system or donated by the public, will be priced $1 or less. Funds raised will benefit the library.

LINK HERE for more information

Link to The State of Learning Disabilities

"Yet look again, for the clouds divide;

A gleam of blue on the water lies;

And far away, on the mountain-side,

A sunbeam falls from the opening skies,

But the hurrying host that flew between

The cloud and the water, no more is seen;

Flake after flake,

At rest in the dark and silent lake."

~from The Snow-Shower by William Cullen Bryant

as found January 31, 2012 at http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/243334

The National Center for Learning Disabilities has published this report on LD.org.

(I am not taking a position on this report, just providing a link.~ssa)

The State of Learning Disabilities

Share| By Candace Cortiella, Director - The Advocacy Institute Published: July 27 2011

NCLD, with the State of Learning Disabilities, has published a critical report that will further the debate over how to strengthen the programs and policies we have in place to serve and protect students and adults with learning disabilities. - Thomas H. Kean, NCLD Board Member and former Governor of New Jersey

Here is the link:

The State of Learning Disabilities

Dictionary.com App and other ideas

The Brain—is wider than the Sky—
For—put them side by side—
The one the other will contain
With ease—and You—beside—
From Emily Dickinson's poem, The Brain—is wider than the Sky—
http://poemhunter.com/poem/the-brain-is-wider-than-the-sky/

photo: ssa, Stillwater, August 2011 

                                                                                                                                                                              

UPDATE 2/28/12: Discovered that Dictionary.com starts charging for this voice-to-text feature after a limited number of uses. (They sell the feature in batches, 300 voice to text searches for 99 cents.)
iPod/iPhone/iPad and Android users: Dictionary.com has an app that allows voice-to-text entry. Your child can speak into the device and the entry will appear, correctly spelled, definition and all. (If your child has as much difficulty spelling as mine does, this may feel life-saving.) The apps also include audio pronunciation.

Voice-to-Text Experiment:
A quick, non-scientific test of the following 10 words resulted in 90 percent accuracy. 
After two minutes finding and downloading the app (using an older iPhone 3GS), I spoke these words directly into the phone (no headset used). 

auditory
falling
questions
dyslexia
(success)
successful
creativity
significant
actually
hope

The Dictionary.com app correctly pulled up nine of them. Ironically, the app failed to bring up the word "success." 90% accuracy? I can hardly wait to show this to my daughter!



Here are some other computer tools that I've heard about in the last few days.
We have not tried any of these yet.

Tools to Try:

Brainware Safari

"Award-winning BrainWare SAFARI builds 41 cognitive skills in 6 areas: Attention, Memory, Thinking, Visual Processing, Auditory Processing and Sensory Integration."--description from the website, http://www.mybrainware.com/who-we-help/parent/


"Because every brain is the result of uncountable reactions between us and environments, each brain is self-created and unique. While the parts of our brains specialize in certain kinds of tasks, we acquire skills to greater or lesser degrees.  That means that each individual is likely to have some strong areas and some weaker areas among all the mental processes that make up our cognitive functioning."
--quoted from the Brainware website, http://www.mybrainware.com/who-we-help/parent/child-development/


To help with Math:


1) Timez Attack by Big Brainz (good for helping with multiplication facts)
(free and paid versions)
 http://www.bigbrainz.com/

2) ALEKS (fee-based) Reading the "Success Stories" at ALEKS.COM (under the Independent Use section) made me think that we will be trying this one eventually. (It costs a lot less than paying a tutor.) The stories are listed by state--one child in New Jersey likes it so much that he begged his mom to allow him to pay for ALEKS himself. 

Here is their description:

"What is ALEKS? Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions. A student who shows a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course she is taking.

ALEKS also provides the advantages of one-on-one instruction, 24/7, from virtually any Web-based computer for a fraction of the cost of a human tutor."

from ALEKS website, http://www.aleks.com/about_aleks

To help with Keyboarding:

Dance Mat Typing

(free, online, no download required)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Free Webinar Tuesday 1/24/12

"IDA-UMB Webinar: Intro to AT --  How Assistive Technology can enhance academic success?

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
7 – 8 p.m.
Registration is free
CEU's offered!

Here's an introduction on how to successfully use reading and writing assistive technology to enhance student’s academic success.
Speaker: Erika Kluge Frake M.F.C.S. is the Director of THINK with Success. As an Assistive Technology Specialist and Special Educator, she has several years of experience working with students in grades 2 through college to enhance their academic success through the use of Assistive Technology (AT) in the areas of reading, writing, note-taking, and executive function."

~This announcement and text is from the IDA-UMB website.

To register, go to this page where you will find a CLICK HERE link

http://www.ida-umb.org/pages/calendar/detail.cfm?EventID=148

International Dyslexia Association will host conference in Baltimore, October, 2012.

International Dyslexia Association will host its next conference in Baltimore, October, 2012.

Reading, Literacy, & Learning
63rd Annual IDA Conference
October 24-27, 2012
Baltimore Convention Center

http://www.interdys.org/AnnualConference.htm

There is a link to a PARENT SURVEY on the main page. If you are considering attending any IDA conferences, please take a few minutes to fill in the survey.

From the IDA webite: "During the 63rd Annual Conference, we will host our first parent focused conference.  The purpose is to provide parents the education, networking and socialization opportunities to help children with dyslexia and related learning differences.  If you are a parent of a child with dyslexia or other learning difference, please complete the survey below to help us design the parent conference!"

GRASP event for Twice Exceptional, January 18th at Noon

“Twice-Exceptional Children: Identification, Advocacy and Support” with Deantha Menon will take place this Wednesday (Jan 18) at Macalester Plymouth United Church (1658 Lincoln Avenue) from noon to 1:30pm. Bring your own lunch, $5 donation for non-GRASP members, children welcome with a quiet parent-provided activity.

The term “twice-exceptional” — or “2e” — refers to students who are high-ability/gifted learners who also have a physical, mental or learning disability. Because 2e students often perform at grade level, their learning vulnerabilities may go unrecognized or unaddressed. The notion that a child cannot be gifted if they have a disability is a common and persistent myth. These atypical learners may be mislabeled as bright but not trying hard enough, or as learning-disabled with no exceptional abilities, or they may simply be considered disruptive with poor social skills. The purpose of this event is to ensure that parents understand proper identification, advocacy and support for their gifted child as they navigate the education system. Deantha Menon received her Master of Arts degree in special education from the University of Colorado. She is a local speaker whose passions lie in helping families with 2e children navigate the public special-education system to bring their children to educational and personal success. She is a parent-to-parent advocacy coach who also draws from her daily experience as the mother of two twice-exceptional sons.

RSVP via online registration: https://sites.google.com/site/graspmn/events

Thank you to Thekla R.P. for the above description of the event, posted on our elementary school facebook page.